This invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for sports training, and more particularly to methods and devices that prevent a user's arms from moving too close to the body during certain athletic activities.
Many poor habits in sports develop during training when athletes engage in excess arm movements, and specifically when they allow their elbows to come too close to their bodies. An athlete's range of motion is greatly decreased as his or her arms move closer to the body. Such restriction interferes with proper passing, digging and blocking form for volleyball, proper shot mechanics for basketball, and proper fielding in baseball and softball. Moreover, catching fundamentals in many sports are enhanced if the athlete is able to keep his or her elbows an appropriate distance away from the body while performing these actions. If the athlete instead performs these actions in the frontal plane with elbows away from the body, this form will give the athlete more range and a faster response time to react to various situations in the game.
A number of sports training devices have been reported that address arm positioning. For instance, Cook, U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,877 (the “Cook Patent”) discloses a device that uses a restricting line, designated as an “assembly line” connected to a wristband and a waist band on the athlete to limit forward movement of a basketball shooter's non-shooting hand. The stated purpose of the device is to teach the athlete to shoot a basketball with one hand. The restricting line works to help keep the athlete's non-shooting elbow close to the body, forcing the athlete to finish the shot with the other “shooting” hand. (Cook Patent, Col. 1, Lines 26–27.) However the device does not help train the athlete for those basketball techniques that require a greater range of motion, which is enhanced if the athlete keeps the arms away from the body. For instance, in a jump shot, the shot release is quicker and more efficient if the athlete keeps his or her elbows away from the body, thus decreasing the chances of having the shot blocked. The device of the Cook Patent is not suitable for developing this type of form, because is designed to develop proper form for movements that require the elbow to be kept close to the body.
Sheppard, U.S. Pat. No. 6,645,093 (the “Shepard Patent”) describes a device to control the movement of a basketball shooter's shooting arm in a predetermined direction with predetermined elbow placement. The device includes an rigid arm bar strapped to the shooting arm and pivotally connected to a back plate strapped to the athlete's back. A stated purpose of the device is to assure that “the athlete's arm cannot move inwardly or outwardly from the desired plane.” (Shepard Patent, Col. 6, Lines 41–46.) The athlete's arm is restricted to movement in an arc from his or her side in a “vertical plane” extending outwardly and forwardly from the front of the athlete's arm. However, the device is not intended to help athletes achieve the proper from for such basketball techniques described above where the technique is enhanced by the athlete's ability to maintain his elbow away from his torso. Moreover, the device essentially “locks” the athlete's arm into a motion in the arc of a single plane, thereby limiting the usefulness of the device in general training exercises where the athlete may need to perform activities where the arm restriction proves detrimental. For instance, an athlete wearing such a device during training would find it particularly difficult to catch a basketball prior to performing the required shot.
Caveness, U.S. Pat. No. 3,820,783 (the “Caveness Patent”) discloses a device having a belt-supported arm that extends upwardly and forwardly from the athlete's abdomen with a transverse gauge bar at its upper end to indicate the height at which a basketball shooter's elbow should be before extending the arm to shoot a basket. While the device serves as a gauge for proper elbow height for shooting, it does not prevent the elbow from moving too close to the torso. Moreover, the device is bulky, with rigid components, some at face height, which precludes its use in general training where unexpected contact with the device could cause injury.
Selberg, U.S. Publication No. 2003/0190984 (the “Selberg Application”) discloses a volleyball training device that includes a restricting lines or “cords” connected by straps to an athlete's thighs and elbows limiting the distance that the elbows can move away from the thighs and from one another. The stated purpose of the device is to retain the elbows within a predetermined distance apart so that they are locked and close to one another. However the device does not help train the athlete for those volleyball techniques that require a greater range of motion, which is enhanced if the athlete keeps the arms away from the body. For instance, certain passing, digging and blocking shots are enhanced if the athlete keeps his or her elbows away from the body. Moreover, since the device essentially ties the athlete's arms to his legs, maintaining him in a squat position, the device is not suitable for general training requiring a wide variety of movements.
Szabo, U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,163 (the “Szabo Patent”) describes a volleyball training device that includes a rigid rod attached to an athlete's bicep and having a ball at the distal end of the rod, which the athlete grabs. The device essentially locks the athlete's arm into place. The stated purpose of the device is to teach proper form for the forearm bump pass, and particularly to prevent the elbows from bending. Since the device does not attach to the shoulders, it does not control lateral or forward arm movement and thus does not assist in the development of techniques that require such arm placement. Moreover, since the device rigidly locks the athlete's arms, it is not suitable for general training where a volleyball player would need more arm flexibility, for instance to protect himself if a ball approaches his face.
While the above disclosed devices help develop specific athletic techniques, none address the common problem of correcting the athlete's tendency to allow her arms and elbows to move too close to her torso rather than positioning them away from and in front of her body in the frontal plane. Such positioning is necessary for faster performance of many athletic techniques as described above. Moreover, the devices are specific to the sports of either volleyball or basketball and do not address form problems in other sports. For instance, softball and baseball fielders also achieve a greater range of motion by maintaining their elbows away from their body in the frontal plane. A receiver in football is taught to catch the ball by reaching for the ball and not letting it come into his chest to create more efficient moves and decrease the time that a defender has to defend the pass. Also, the devices described must be used in very controlled training environments, because they lock body parts and some have rigid members that can cause injury to the user or other in the game.
A need exists for a lightweight athletic training device that helps an athlete keep his or her arms away from the body while not restricting other bodily movements that can be used in general training settings without a risk of injury to the athlete or others she may come into contact with. Existing devices are inadequate for this purpose.